blockwax wrote:These Armour products have been around for a long time if i'm not mistaken.....if its the same product company be careful......in the mists of time when i was working we were introduced to Armour for all sorts of wonderful products.......at that time polymers were not well known and in their infancy.....we used it a finish on the rubber floor mats in all of our vehicles also the rubber trim,plastic trim, ect
Until complaints of carpets and rugs being out of control in the cars people slipping all over the cars so we had to abandon the Armour stuff......it was comical until we had a car in for paintwork ....then it was found that the over spray from the Armour had contaminated the paint and spraying was almost impossible........maybe since then we have got over these problems and the Armour is now ok to use but just a warning.......it was a long time ago though.......

Been there, done that.

I know, I'll make my mats all nice and shiny, great until you come to brake and nearly snap your ankle as your heel slides under the pedal.

Unless you hate someone then just spray all over their tread blocks...

Good idea SD

The Armour all can't be as bad as what I saw on another Forum....the car owner sprayed the whole exterior with WD40. His logic behind this was that it was cheaper than a wax, takes less time, had beading properties, inhibits rust and was slippery (making the car have less drag.)

Unless you hate someone then just spray all over their tread blocks...

Good idea SD

The Armour all can't be as bad as what I saw on another Forum....the car owner sprayed the whole exterior with WD40. His logic behind this was that it was cheaper than a wax, takes less time, had beading properties, inhibits rust and was slippery (making the car have less drag.)

What's wrong with that? I use WD40 in my frying pan as it's more slippery than oil and browns my bangers a right treat!

I washed first, then used CarLack NSC and then put the ArmorAll on. To be honest it was a little tricky to buff off but the temperature had dropped very quickly whilst I was doing it so that could explain it.

But once buffed off it looked great and, after copious amounts of rain and 200 miles, the car still looks very clean.

The beading is brilliant - the other half said it was parked outside her office and rain was either beading really well or the rain was simply running off in rivulets.

Time will tell how it lasts - the last lot of Permanon was still going quite well after 5 months.

Not much between Permanon and ArmorAll in terms of effort to apply although I guess with the ArmorAll you need to put it on and take it off whereas Permanon just needs to be put on (unless you apply it neat and dry in which case there's no difference).

I know I resurrect an old thread but I can still find talks about this Armor All Shield wax everywhere.

I just ordered a couple on EBay as it was the only place I could find it. I have always trusted your thoughts, Paul, and as this thread had some additional positive comments I needed to ask here. How's the updates for this product? Durability, clean-ability, smearing (as I heard some greasy after results from some)?

I have also read about smearing and fingerprints, but can honestly say that has not happened on our cars. My routine is to apply with a damp sponge, leave for maybe a minute and then buff, re-quartering the towel to a clean part and giving a second buff. I think that is the key to any potential smearing - remove and re-buff.

Durability is very good. Those initial looks will dazzle you and you'll want them to remain exactly like that. They will for several weeks, but I found lower parts of the car and areas where wind was channelled when driving lost those initial looks quicker ... say after 3-4 weeks. Compare that to a wax where initial looks might fade after the first wash. Sure, it'll still look great and bead well, but nothing like day 1 ... with ArmorAll Shield it genuinely does, and does clean itself up in the rain. Furthermore, water spotting from rain rapidly drying is only very slight.

My routine with this product is to apply and enjoy.

After the first wash few washes, you get a sense of where on the car gets worn more than other areas. After 3-4 weeks, I "patch up" the application. Small areas like behind the wheel arches where rain run-off goes, bumpers, the boot and sills. After 6-8 weeks, the doors might want doing. After 8-10 weeks, re-apply the large top panels.

... FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THOSE DAY ONE LOOKS. I cannot stress that enough. I'm not comparing versus a wax here since those looks wane much more rapidly, yet we still say it's doing its thing in terms of longevity. With ArmorAll Shield, it's still doing its thing, but being so easy to apply (and remove in my opinion), demanding those day one looks is just a case of patching in where necessary and not being disappointed every time it rains ... and dries.

Since finding this product, I've been seriously impressed with Sonax Xtreme Brilliant Shine Detailer, which is very similar in effect although initially, beading is very tight and it takes a few days of rain to break it into the larger, more attractive beads you get with ArmorAll Shield. I intend the products in a complimentary manner. Next wash, I'll be re-applying ArmorAll Shield to my red car. Weeks down the line, a spritz of Sonax Xtreme Brilliant Shine Detailer will be used as a post-wash pick me up rather than the usual patch up. Around 12 weeks, I reckon simply repeat.

So, that's a three month cycling routine which gives genuine day one looks throughout.

Very dull for a detailing enthusiast Our black car gets the tender care ... now we're in better weather, I hope to enjoy all my favourite waxes; prepping, applying, buffing and enjoying ... like a detailing enthusiast should.

I hope that helps ... I hope you get the same joy from this product as I have. For a big car like a SAAB 9-5 which I like to look good but like to spend my time with the Classic 900 Convertible, it's fantastic.

Wow, thank you very much for this comprehensive reply Paul. I now think I'll definitely like this buy. I couldn't get the Sonax QD yet but with Zaino Z8 or UQD I already have, topping will be easy for the weaker spots.